Sofia Vergara posted her own throwback Instagram snap, and it’s a doozy. Welcome to 1990s Miami, where the future Modern Family star was a blond beach queen flaunting her toned figure in a black bikini with white embroidery.

The photo has fetched countless compliments from fans.

Fittingly, the actress was discovered by a photographer while on the beach in her native Colombia. She eventually moved to Miami and pursued modeling opportunities — all while raising her son, Manolo, who was born in 1991 — before transitioning to acting.

Sofia Vergara was once a blond model living in Miami. (Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Lorraine Schwartz )

At 45, Vergara’s now a major brunette star. But her blond locks weren’t just some ’90s phase: It’s her natural shade.

“I’m a natural blonde, like my siblings,” Vergara told Parade in 2011. “When I started auditioning for American acting roles, they didn’t know where to put me. A blond Latina?”